Rhetorics, Communication and Information Design

histories

Discussions for an informal society of sorts began among RCID in December 2006, initially through the suggestion of vv. Justin Hodgson served as herald for this call, planning, organizing, coaxing and encouraging us into what we are today.

The plan was to help enrich our experiences here at Clemson by facilitating professional-social gatherings, a space/place where we (the RCID family) could gather and engage with one another in a less formal setting.Whether located in the center or at the fringes of RCID endeavors, all were (and are) welcome. As such, we encouraged spouses, children, guests, and the like to attend–we wanted to make everyone feel included and welcomed.

The concept, modeled after the Gorgias Society begun at UTA, was to have a social gathering the first Friday of every month for those who could make it. Our first meeting was an exception to this as we gathered on 19 January 2007. We soon appropriated the second Fridays of each month to avoid conflict with a Clemson poetry group and encourage more participation.

Early on, we had yet to decide on a societal name; many showed interest adopting “The Burkean Parlor” as well as in rekindling the previously mentioned “Gorgias Society” (now dormant). Amanda insisted on referring to our gatherings (with great affection) as “the nerd parties.” Justin proposed a slightly more official and (potentially) appropriate name: Society of the 3rd Sophistic (aka s3s, that superliminal group). He also ran a “slogo” contest, garnering several interesting “slogos,” which now grace the head of this blog.

As matter of fact (a very concept oft debated around these parts), Justin’s dedication as coordinator and newsletter creator/composer for the first year and a half solidified s3s into the consistent and somewhat fantabulous group we now know, love, and count on for regular socialization.